Singing in the Rain
by Nacean
Summary: It's a rather dreary day, and one Riley Poole is very bored. ...So he decides to go outside. Though he doesn't expect one Ben Gates to follow him. BenRiley fluff. Oneshot. Don't like, don't read.


**This is just a little tidbit on the side to keep me going on my main fic. XD And everyone loves some BenxRiley fluff. :D**

**Interestingly enough, the idea popped into my head whilst taking an exam today. XD That's also why there hasn't been anything from me for the last couple of days. Lol, studying for exams. But I promise the next chapter of Extra Baggage will be out on Friday. :D**

**Disclaimer: If I owned National Treasure I would either be in it, or it would be a COMPLETELY different movie, ifyaknowwhatImean. wink **

Riley looked smug as he watched the water pour down from the sky onto the bleak landscape, every little drop driving him that much closer to insanity.

He sighed and ripped his eyes from the depressing scene, which was harder a feat than he imagined, and gazed over at Ben, who seemed very content with his nose shoved in his book that was probably about some guy that no one remembers who did something revolutionary ages ago. The pitter patter of the rain slowly brought his attention back to the window as he watched the water condense into tiny droplets that slid down the glass, collecting more water as they went, until they reached the sill where they spread out into a miniscule puddle.

The thought of asking what the book was about wandered across his mind, but he quickly discarded it in favor of not having his ears talked off about something that was very likely to be extremely boring.

"When's Abigail getting back?" He didn't actually care when the woman was returning, but the crippling silence coupled with the fact that he hadn't spoken in over ten minutes got the better of him.

"She said she had to run a few errands, and knowing her she'll probably go shopping after that, so she probably won't be back for a while." Ben's attention never faltered from the book as he spoke.

"Oh." Riley sighed again, this time slightly louder, and smacked his forehead against the window.

Ben looked up at the dull thump. "If you're that bored, why don't you find something to do?"

"Because there is nothing to do!" he whined back at him, removing his forehead from the window in favor of slumping against the wall.

Ben sighed and shook his head, returning his attention to the book. "You could do something, oh, I don't know, constructive."

Riley gave him a look. "Ben, seriously."

"Hey, there's a first time for everything." Riley rolled his eyes and took another look at the soggy scene beyond the glass.

"I'm going outside."

Ben looked up from his book and stared at him. "You'd think with all of the staring out of that window you've done in the past half hour you'd have noticed it's raining outside."

Riley smirked at him. "Ben, there are these wonderful inventions called umbrellas. You should read up on them sometime."

"Well when you get pneumonia, don't expect me to take care of you."

"Perish the thought." He grabbed a coat and an umbrella at the front door and trudged outside. The outside world looked even bleaker and greyer in the flesh and he shivered as a chilly breeze crept over him.

He walked over to a soaked bench under a tree in the front yard and, deciding that he didn't really care that much if his pants got wet, sat down. What Ben had said before he went outside danced across his mind, and though it was rather silly and he knew that he was joking, it bothered him.

"…_don't expect me to take care of you."_

When he repeated it in his head, the words lashed at his heart, leaving a painful gouge. He shook his head, there were no feelings. And there never will be. Yes, he would just keep telling himself that until it was true. No, it already was true. But that wouldn't change the little tingly feeling he got when Ben looked at him, or how he was so happy just to see him smile…

He leaned his head backwards and closed his eyes. "Damnit, Ben."

"I haven't even done anything and you're already cursing at me?"

Riley shot forward, his eyes wide as dinner plates, looking for the origin of the voice. However, conveniently enough, Ben happened to have been standing right in front of him and he was now about an inch from his face. Riley didn't move; he couldn't move. They just stayed like that, Riley slowly turning redder as the time went by and Ben with that stupid grin on his face.

"You know, I think you might actually be getting sick; you're awfully red in the face."

Riley, unable to come up with a snarky response, and not too sure if he could speak at all, sputtered, "I t-thought- You- Why are you out here?"

"Well, it was really rather boring in there and you hadn't come back yet, so I came to check if you had gotten lost." He smirked, but still didn't back away. "Though, sadly, it seems that is not the case."

Riley finally regained consciousness and backed away turning his head.

Ben, still smirking at him, motioned to the spot beside him. "Is this seat taken?"

"Well, my dignity was going to sit there, but he never showed up."

Ben laughed and took a seat. He leaned his head back and sighed. "The rain feels nice."

Riley sat the umbrella down and sighed as he felt the cool little droplets bombard his face. "Yeah." He stared forward, studying the ground as he thought.

"Ben?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you really mean it? What you said earlier, I mean." Riley fidgeted and studied a particularly interesting rock in order to avoid his gaze.

Ben furrowed his brow in confusion. "You mean about you being sick?"

"No." Riley strained to get the words out, feeling his face go hot again. "I meant… What you said about not expecting you to take care of me."

Ben's heart broke. Here he was, the unshakable Riley, looking like he was about to cry over something that small. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized how big it really was. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks and he froze, his mouth hanging open.

Riley was in love with him.

The Riley he had fallen in love with the day he rescued him from that little windowless cubical, was in love with him. He had hurt Riley in his effort to hide his own feelings. He mentally slapped himself over and over.

Upon his silence Riley looked down and he saw a small drop of water that wasn't rain fall.

He snapped out of his trance and enveloped the small computer nerd in a hug. "Oh Riley, I'm so sorry."

Riley's head snapped up at the arms enveloping his waist and he gasped.

"Of course I didn't mean it; I care for you more than anything else."

Riley couldn't believe his ears. Was Ben saying…? No. He couldn't. Oh, how he wished he could, but he couldn't possibly. He loved Abigail.

He tried to remove himself from Ben's grip but it only made him hug him tighter. "Ben, no, you can't… Abigail…."

Ben released him enough to look in his eyes. "What about Abigail?"

Riley blinked. "I thought-"

"That I loved her? As a friend, yes, but nothing more than that."

"But then… I don't understand."

Ben sighed. His stubbornness really annoyed him sometimes. "Riley, I love you."

He was sure he had heard incorrectly. He had to have, because that did not just come out of Ben's mouth. "What?"

Ben grabbed his shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "I said, I love you."

He refused to believe it. He had longed for so long to hear those words, but now that he did, he couldn't believe it. "N-No."

"Yes. I. Love. You." He gave him a little shake with every word.

Riley just sat there, his mouth agape, at a complete loss of words; an internal battle raged in his head.

"Riley-"

It happened completely on instinct. Riley had no idea why he did it, as he didn't recall ordering his muscles to move in any fashion.

Ben's eyes widened as he felt the velvety soft lips on his own, then, as soon as they had come, they were gone again and Riley stared at the ground, blushing furiously.

He just sat there for a moment, and then a smile tugged at his lips.

Riley started fidgeting again. "I… I'm sorry, it was an acci-"

He was silenced by Ben's lips. And he figured, as he wrapped his arms around Ben's neck, it was the best way he had ever been shut up.

They parted and Riley frowned slightly, then turned away and sneezed violently.

Ben laughed and shook his head.

Riley sniffled and smiled sheepishly at him. "You'll take care of me, won't you?"

Ben smiled. "Always, Riley."

"Always."


End file.
